The global licensing community is powered by an incredible group of professionals whose diverse backgrounds and creative energy drive innovation and excellence. Each week we’re profiling one of these professionals in this ongoing series.

How did you get into licensing (or how did licensing find you)?
Licensing found its way to me! We launched Youtooz with a focus on creators and influencers, then fell into the world of licensing with various companies reaching out to us to license their characters into Youtooz collectibles. Our first ever license was with PBS Kids to make the iconic ‘Arthur’s Fist meme’ into a figure. Shortly after that we started working with Peanuts, NBCUniversal, and Paramount. We now count more than 40 partners across various fandoms.

What’s a “typical” day in your current position?
I live in Miami but most of our team is on the west coast, so I generally get an early start on the day (which usually also means late evenings). Most of my day is spent meeting with various external partners, speaking to new retailers, and driving internal strategy for future product releases.

What’s your biggest personal or professional accomplishment?
My biggest personal and professional accomplishment is building companies from scratch. Many startups over the past decade have been overly blessed with funding, which has made a lot of people soft and slow. Building a company with little funding and pulling together a team willing to work towards a vision is one of my proudest accomplishments.

What are the most significant trends or changes that you’ve seen in the business in recent years?
The Covid lockdowns began shortly after we started Youtooz, which sent shocks through the supply chain networks of the world. We’ve since seen changes to how licensors put priority towards online sales, retailers being more selective about which fandoms to support, and consolidation across the licensing industry.

What keeps you up at night? What’s your biggest challenge these days?
Continuing to stay true to our beginnings is our biggest challenge and what I spend much of my time thinking about. Many companies sacrifice their early fundamentals in order to grow and I want to ensure we always remember why we started and what Youtooz is all about—the fandoms we support.

In your opinion, what is the top skill every licensing executive should have in order to succeed?
Being responsive and concise in communication is the best skillset, in my opinion, for licensing executives. Everyone is so busy and often being pulled in different directions, so offering quick feedback to partners (that is straight to the point) has helped us build great relationships.  

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Or what is your favorite quote?
We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful — Warren Buffet

What is your favorite licensing deal of all time? (It doesn’t have to be one that was signed by you.)
My all time favorite licensing deal is Nike’s Jordan collaboration. It continues to be a huge brand in pop culture and drives so much inspiration for the next generation.

If you weren’t in licensing, what would you be doing now?
If I wasn’t in licensing, I would probably be a talent manager. My previous company represented many of today’s top gaming and lifestyle creators and it was always fun being able to work with up-and-coming talent.